


5 Times Detective Lucas Greene Failed Spectacularly at Seducing Ava du Mortain (and 1 Time He Didn't)

by rhetoricalrogue



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Ava please, F/M, Flirting, the boy is TRYING
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26261881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhetoricalrogue/pseuds/rhetoricalrogue
Summary: Or: How to Fluster 900 year old Vampires and Influence People, a self-help guide
Relationships: Male Detective/Ava du Mortain
Comments: 32
Kudos: 59





	1. At the Car Wash Workin' at the Car Wash, Girl

“What’s this I hear about a car wash?” Farah threw herself into one of Lucas’ living room chairs, her legs swinging over the arm as she held out a folded up and slightly crinkled paper flyer.

“Oh, that?” he asked from the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He’d been getting ready to head downstairs to use his apartment’s gym facilities, but Farah and Ava had knocked on his door before he could leave.

Well, Ava had knocked. Farah had done multiple versions of  _ Shave and a Haircut _ she learned after the two of them had watched  _ Who Framed Roger Rabbit _ the other day.

“Yeah, what’s it for?”

Lucas perched on a nearby kitchen bar stool, offering the seat next to it to Ava, who shook her head and remained standing. “The police and fire departments usually run a fundraiser to help different local charities every quarter. This quarter, we decided to do a car wash with all proceeds going to the public library so they could upgrade their software and start providing electronic versions of their books to patrons.”

“That sounds like a good cause,” Ava noted, moving so she could lean her hip against the kitchen island.

“It really is. I try to volunteer all day instead of a single shift, just because I want to help out as much as possible.” He twisted off the cap to his water and took a sip. “Besides, it’s a lot of fun.”

Farah twisted in the chair, her chin resting on the back of it. “Car wash...so there’s a lot of people just getting all wet and soapy?”

“That  _ is _ a hazard of the job. And depending on the weather, we usually turn the hoses on ourselves to keep cool. The parking lot we do it in is nothing but asphalt and zero shade. During the heat of the day, it’s easy to imagine what an egg feels like when you fry it.” Lucas looked thoughtfully at Farah, who was wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason. Are you in jeans?”

He scoffed. “Hell no, do you know how uncomfortable wet denim is? It’s pretty much this type of outfit for me.” He pointed to what he was wearing, the t-shirt’s short sleeves showing off the beginnings of the tattoo on his right bicep and his shorts fitting snugly to his muscled thighs.

Ava couldn’t help but look - okay,  _ stare _ \- at the way the material clung to his body, the dips and curves of his muscles clearly visible. She frowned. He needed to buy a larger sized shirt.

He caught her staring and she couldn’t help the heat that flooded her cheeks at the lazy smirk that he threw in her direction. “So, Ava,” he drawled. “Are there any agency vehicles that are…” he gave her a smoldering look. “ _ Dirty _ ?”

Ava blinked and took a half step backwards. The way he dipped his voice an octave or two lower was enough to send a shiver down her spine. She wasn’t sure if it was a pleasant one or not, but she bunched her hands into fists at her side anyway. “If there are, we have a fleet service department that takes care of the cleaning of all our vehicles.” 

Pushing away from the island, she ignored Farah’s cackle. “If everything is all right,” she said, shoving her hands in her pockets and looking at the door. “Then we’ll be leaving.”

“Well, thanks for dropping by,” Lucas told her. He gave her a serious look. “I always enjoy spending time with you.”

She opened and closed her mouth, trying to come up with something to say when faced with such an honest statement. “Have a good workout. Come on, Farah.”

“So, can I count you in for dropping by the car wash next weekend?” It was a cheeky question and they both knew it.

Ava’s shouted  _ no! _ was interrupted by Farah. “You know it! We’ll all be there, with lawn chairs and binoculars!”

The sound of Ava’s footsteps pounding down the stairs was drowned out by Farah’s laughter.


	2. we want to pump you up

Ava frowned as she made her way towards the training room. It was far too early in the morning to actually be considered  _ morning _ , yet Lucas’ heartbeat, loud and strong, could be heard as she opened the door. She herself was planning on capitalizing on the odd hour to get in some training since her teammates often chose to train later in the day, but her hand hesitated on the wood and glass door, debating if she wanted to intrude on his workout or not.

_ This is ridiculous _ , she thought, her frown deepening. Taking a centering breath, she pushed the door open and strode inside.

If she happened to put a hand to her hair to make sure that it was presentable and brush down her shirt before fully making her way into the training room, well, there was no one around to call her out on her behavior.

Lucas didn’t seem to notice her presence, and the bass beat that thumped out from the headset he wore was probably the reason why. He was at the squat rack situated close to the large collection of weight plates nearby - being a supernatural being meant that lifting what was normally supplied at a gym was the equivalent of lifting two pound weights and never breaking a sweat. She watched as he loaded up the bar, his fingers ticking off the weight as he calculated what he wanted to put on.

It was an impressive number, she had to admit. For a human.

He seemed to sense her presence and he turned, slipping off his headset and resting it on the bar. “Morning,” he said, giving her an easy smile that brought out the dimples on both sides of his cheeks.

“It’s a little early to be considered morning,” she replied, her tone softer than she had intended it to be. “Problems sleeping?”

He shrugged. “It happens. Even before,” he gestured towards his neck. While the scarring had healed nicely and was all but invisible to the human eye, she could see it as clear as day. She frowned. Murphy had not been kind nor gentle, his teeth creating jagged marks along Lucas’ pulse, the scar a lingering testament to her failure to protect him. “this, insomnia usually ruined my sleep schedule and kept me up at all hours of the night.”

“That can’t be good.”

“Eh, can’t complain, I get a lot more work accomplished around this time of night. No distractions, and the quiet helps me think. I have time to get several blog posts ready to queue up or I can look over my work reports and catch up on emails on a really bad night.”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You should take better care of yourself. Not getting enough rest can affect you, make you careless and susceptible to injury.”

Lucas gave her a lazy smile as he turned back towards the weight rack to grab another forty-five pound plate. “If you’re worried about me, maybe I should call you before I go to bed. A nightcap for my ears, if you will.”

She rolled her eyes “You’d only use it as an opportunity to try to talk dirty to me.”

He put his hand to his chest as if he were insulted. Ava belatedly realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt, her eyes widening as she took in the tattoos she’d never known he had before. “Commanding Agent du Mortain, I am  _ offended _ ! To think I would take advantage of your time to initiate phone sex!” He grinned. “Unless... _ are _ you asking me to whisper filthy nothings in your ear late at night?”

The scoff she gave would have made Morgan proud. “Please, you only say those things because you know it irritates me.” Shaking her head, she made her way over to one of the treadmills, intent on getting a few miles in to warm up her legs before heading to the training dummies lined up along one wall.

“Ava.” The way he said her name was enough for her to stop punching in details on the device and look back at him. “If my flirting with you really bothers you, let me know. I’ll stop.”

She tilted her head. “Just like that?”

He nodded. “Just like that.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis. “Your comfort means a lot to me; I know what it feels like when someone you don’t want to flirt with comes onto you even after you tell them no, I don’t ever want to make you uncomfortable.”

Ava would have asked who he was talking about, but she already knew the answer. Seeing that blasted Bobby Marks and the lazy, half-lidded glances she always threw in his direction always made her blood boil, especially when it was clear that Lucas wanted nothing to do with the reporter and tried to create distance between them. “It’s…” she cleared her throat, her mind scrambling for words to say what she was thinking of. She inwardly cursed the fact that she had never been blessed with mastery over words like Nat, nor was she as comfortable expressing herself physically like Morgan.

“Yes?” The question was genuine, and she was struck by how it felt to have someone want to know what she was thinking. It was utterly different than someone wanting to know what Commanding Agent du Mortain was thinking too, it was _Lucas_ , waiting patiently for _Ava_ to speak her mind.

The revelation frightened her just as much as it thrilled her.

“I do not  _ mind _ the flirting,” she started, stepping off the machine’s tread and onto the metal railings. “It’s not unwelcome.”

He gave her a small smile. “Maybe tone it down a bit, then?”

She returned his smile with a tiny one of her own. “It’s something that I’m going to have to get used to.” She looked down before lifting her eyes to meet his, her breath catching at how blue they were. “It’s rare that people approach me. I’ve heard on more than one occasion that I can be intimidating.”

He snorted. “Then those people weren’t worthy of you.”

“And you think you are?” The question came out in a rush and she felt her cheeks grow warm as soon as they left her mouth.

His smile turned into something soft. “I hope to try.” Clearing his own throat, he blinked and grabbed at his headphones. “Anyway, have a good workout, Ava.” With that, he wiped his palms on the sides of the shorts he wore and moved into a position for deadlifts. Taking a breath, he adjusted his grip and rose up with the weights in hand, his posture perfect.

And if Ava stared a little longer, enjoying more than his pose, well, no one was around to call her out on it.


	3. Burning the Midnight Oil

The lights to the police station should have been dark at this hour. Normally, only the front entryway lights, landscaping lights, and the front office where the night clerk sat illuminated the area, but tonight there was a faint glow of lamplight coming from the back where Ava knew Lucas’ office was.

She frowned. He’d been putting in more time with Unit Bravo lately while they worked on the carnival case, pulling late hours with a team that technically didn’t need sleep, and subsequently getting very little sleep himself.

It wouldn’t do if he wore himself down to nothing while he burnt the candle at both ends. His productivity, both at the station and with Unit Bravo, would suffer.

That’s what she was worried about. That’s _all_ she was worried about. Sooner or later she might actually believe that lie.

The night volunteer gave her a brief glance before recognizing who she was. With a slight nod of greeting, they went back to their crossword puzzle, their feet propped up on an open desk drawer. She gave a slight frown of disapproval after she passed their desk, but didn’t say anything, as it wasn’t her office to censure. The smell of freshly brewed coffee made her nose twitch as she passed the break room, and she didn’t have to guess as to who had made it: it was dark, freshly ground, and the glassware for the pourover was still sitting in plain view on the countertop.

The quiet sound of jazz music greeted her as she walked through Lucas’ open office door. He didn’t have room for a stereo in his office, but she realized that the music was coming from his phone that was out and plugged into a charging cable at the side of his desk. There was a fresh mug of coffee half-empty at his elbow, and his fingers were madly typing at his keyboard.

“It’s a little late to be clocking in overtime, don’t you think?” she asked, leaning against the doorframe. 

He looked up at her, and something in her chest  _ twisted _ at the way a beaming smile took the place of his previously look of intense concentration. 

The lamplight wasn’t doing him any favors though; Ava could clearly see the pronounced dark circles under his blue, blue eyes, even if the twin dimples at the sides of his smile were trying their best to distract her.

“Ava! Fancy seeing you here, especially at this hour.”

“I would say the same to you. Didn’t you get off several hours ago?”

He grinned at her while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Well, you know what they say, get off once, come back for seconds.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say that.”

“Shame. A partner should always be willing to come back for more, don’t you think?”

Ava ignored the innuendo. “You really shouldn’t be pushing yourself as much as you are, Detective,” she told him, her voice stern. “I believe we’ve had the conversation about a lack of sleep causing you to lose focus before.”

He saved his report and pushed away from his desk. “Well, we also had the conversation about how I get most of my work done around this time anyway, if I remember correctly.” Lucas stretched his arms over his head and Ava belatedly realized that he wasn’t wearing one of his usual crisp button down shirts that he had as an unofficial office uniform, but was in an old, faded Wayhaven PD t-shirt. One glance down saw that he had also left his sharply pressed slacks at home, opting for dark grey sweatpants instead.

“See something you like?” he asked suggestively, taking a drink from his mug.

She tried to come up with a retort, but his right arm caught her attention. “Your tattoo is incorrect.”

“Hm?”

She motioned at the back of his forearm. “Your tattoo. The markings are in the wrong place.”

He flexed his arm so he could see what she was talking about. “Oh, that. Yeah, I asked them to put them that way.” 

Ava took a seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk, quietly noting that they were still the same old uncomfortable to sit in pair that had always been there. “Why?”

He looked at the tattoo, and even with the low light, Ava could clearly see that it was an old fashioned compass rose that had West in the spot traditionally pointing North, and East in the spot pointing West. “All my life, I’ve been measured up to my father,” he started. “There’s a picture in the main hall, with Captain Sung.”

“I’ve seen it. You bear a remarkable likeness to him.” The first time she paid attention to the pictures hanging near a showcase of trophies and plaques that the department had won over the years, she honestly thought that the man in the photo had been Lucas. Then the subtle differences came out, the man’s hairstyle was vastly different than the Detective’s, and the way he held himself was a little sterner than Lucas.

Yet they shared almost identical facial features, the smile reminding her of the one Lucas gave when he had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he was trying to convince everyone that he was as carefree as could be.

He grunted. “Yeah, so I’ve been told. Rebecca can’t stop comparing me to him.” Lucas set his mug down and frowned. “My entire life, she can’t say more than two sentences about my father because it hurts her too much to talk about him, but those two sentences are always variations of  _ you look just like Rook _ or  _ why can’t you be more like your father? _ She can’t even be around me for long because I remind her so much about her dead husband instead of seeing me as her son.”

“That’s...unfair to you,” she said softly. She knew that Agent Greene and Lucas were estranged; hell, she hadn’t even been aware of Lucas’ existence until a few months ago. Agent Greene never spoke of her personal life and for all Unit Bravo knew, she had never been married or borne children. Had her son not carried the mutation in his blood and been hunted down for it, Ava knew she wouldn’t have ever known about him.

She didn’t know if she was grateful that she had met him or if she would rather have preferred a life of blissful ignorance. At least then her heart wouldn’t feel so... _ conflicted _ when it came to thinking about him.

“And that’s why I got the tattoo. I don’t need to follow in anyone’s footsteps to live my life. I got it as a reminder that I’ll blaze my own trail, follow my  _ own  _ compass, to wherever that compass leads me.”

“It’s an admirable goal,” she told him, sitting straighter in her chair. “You shouldn’t live your life based on parameters someone else sets for you, especially when those expectations are so vague.” Ava couldn’t keep the sudden venom out of her tone, and honestly, it surprised her to feel a flash of bitterness towards her Agency-issued handler.

“It’s okay,” he told her, waving off any other conversation. “I know you’re the one who has to work directly with her. I don’t want to bring dirty family laundry into your work relationship.”

_ But I want to know more about you. _ The sentiment clawed its way up to her throat, but she clenched her teeth tightly and swallowed it down before it had a chance to escape. “I still say that you should at least try to rest.”

He ran a hand through his hair, recognizing that she was trying to change the subject. “And I still say that it makes me feel better to work on the pile of cases that built themselves up on my desk while I was out of commission than to stare up at the bedroom ceiling and do nothing.” He looked at her oddly. “And just what brings you to my office so late at night anyway, other than the fact you can’t keep away from my magnetic personality.”

She gave him a little half-smile. “Obviously I have fallen for your charm,” she said, her voice flat and deadpan. “It was only a matter of time before I succumbed.”

His tone matched hers. “Ha, ha, Ava.”

“I was out on patrol, if you must know. Tonight is my night to do the in-town route and the end of my watch is usually around the police station.”  _ That  _ was an absolute lie, she ended each night directly in front of his apartment. He just didn’t have to know that.

“Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you decided to stop by.” He smiled at her before hiding the smile behind his hand as he yawned. “You know I always like spending time with you.”

There it was again, that strange, yearning feeling that hit her square in the chest. “You’re tired, you should think about going home soon.” Her voice was soft, softer than she had intended, but she still tried to keep a thread of steel in it. He wasn’t hers to order around, but she could at least  _ strongly suggest _ that he get some sleep.

“I will. I’m almost done with a few cases and I’m wrapping up another one. Tomorrow…” he looked at the wall clock near the door. “Er,  _ today _ looks like it’s going to be a busy one, so I want to get a leg up on stuff so I don’t fall behind.”

Ava stood. “Then I should leave you to it. Goodnight, Lucas.”

The look he gave her at the use of his given name instead of his title was enough to send her heart fluttering. “What, no goodnight kiss? How am I supposed to have sweet dreams?”

She shook her head and made her way to the door. She couldn’t stop but give him a genuine smile. “I’m sure you have your own ways to make certain your dreams wind up sweet without my help.”

“Oh, Agent du Mortain,” he breathed, putting a hand on his chest. “ _ That _ is a loaded statement if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Good _ night _ , Detective.” She was walking away, and was probably at a distance where he figured she couldn’t hear him anymore when she caught the whispered  _ Goodnight, Ava _ . Cheeks suddenly warm, she strode down the hall with purpose. She would give him another hour, which was enough time for her to thoroughly circle the town at least two more times. If he wasn’t out of his office and back in his apartment to get some much needed sleep by then, she’d be a little more forceful in her requests for him to rest.

But first, she slowed down and made a quick stop into the break room. He’d left a bag of coffee beans on the counter along with his other coffee making supplies. She made a note of what he preferred and then then walked out of the station, frowning at the night volunteer, who was sound asleep at their desk.

Perhaps she’d show up at the station in the morning after stopping at the little corner cafe he liked to frequent, a cup of his favorite blend in hand. If he wasn’t going to get enough sleep to keep him alert, making sure he had at least one extra cup of coffee to keep him going during the day was the least she could do.


	4. You Rev Me Up

“Hand me that socket wrench, will you, Ava?” 

Ava reached over to the toolbox Lucas had pointed and picked up a tool. “This one?” she asked, bending so she could pass it to him from where he was situated underneath his car.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“How did you know it was me?” she asked, shifting her weight onto one leg and crossing her arms in front of her.

“Your boots,” he told her, grunting slightly as he did whatever he was doing. “You wore them last week when we went on patrol together.”

She bit at her lip. “I didn’t think you would have noticed.” She watched as he bent his knees and used his feet to push himself out from underneath, belatedly realizing that he was lying on one of the shop’s rolling mechanisms, creepers, she believed she had heard him call them once.

“I notice  _ everything _ about you, Ava,” he said, hopping up from the ground to move back to the toolbox. 

“So, what are you doing?” she asked, partly to change the topic and partly out of genuine curiosity. 

“The Silver Babe isn’t feeling too well; thought I’d bring her in and see what I can do to help fix that. While I was looking under the hood, I saw that some stuff in the undercarriage needed work on, so I figured it was best to get that taken care of before it became something serious further on down the road.” He gestured to the empty mechanic bay. “I do a few repairs on the cars the owner of the shop gets here and there when I’m off duty. He lets me use the space when he’s closed in return since I don’t feel right about accepting any money for my work and he's stubborn about repaying people in some way or another.”

Ava would have asked him about the name he had decided on his car, but thought better of it. She’d already heard a little of the in-depth soapbox that he had when Farah had asked him the same. “It’s good that you’re taking care of your vehicle,” she said instead, moving so she could peer over his shoulder as he worked. She might not have the same mechanical knowledge as he apparently did, but she did like to take things apart to see how they worked before attempting to put them back together. Sometimes with varied results. “Proper maintenance of this thing is probably what’s keeping it on the road for as long as it’s been, especially in these past few months.”

He laughed as he dug out another tool and leaned over the hood to get into the guts of the car. “Hey, say all you want about the dinged up way my baby looks, but I’ve put some effort into making sure she’s reliable when and where it counts.”

Ava smiled, tipping her head down in agreement. And that was when she realized her fatal mistake of looking downwards.

Lucas was wearing a pair of old, _extremely_ snug jeans. Had Morgan been there, she would have commented that they were practically vacuum-sealed to his ass. Ava’s mouth went dry at the sight and she clenched her fists together, willing herself to tear her eyes away.

The view above wasn’t any better. He was wearing a tight, faded blue shirt that looked as if his biceps would tear out of the sleeves at the barest provocation. The first hint of the band of black ink around his left bicep was clearly visible and her fingers  _ itched _ to trace along the tattoo, to push the neck of his shirt down to expose the other designs along his shoulder and chest that she knew were there from the one time she had seen him shirtless. She’d been too caught up in the moment of admiring him in the training room to really see what the geometric patterns were, but now she wanted to  _ know _ .

_ Curiosity and cats, _ she thought to herself. She’d never been this inquisitive about others before, but there was this  _ thing _ that drew her towards him. His charm and obvious... _ attachment _ to her didn’t help matters and she found that the more she was around him, the more she felt this strange yearning of wanting more. 

She still didn’t know if she liked it or not.

“What was that?” she asked, cheeks feeling hot when she realized that Lucas had asked her something. Her eyes narrowed and she wished that she could hide from that knowing smirk he gave her behind the pair of sunglasses she had hooked into her shirt’s neckline.

“Oh, nothing. Keep staring at me, I don’t mind.”

She turned on her heel. “I was not staring at you.”

“Okay, sure, Ava.” There was a thread of humor in his voice that had her looking over her shoulder. She caught him staring at her, a fond look on his face and a soft smile quirking his lips upwards. 

“There was a reason I came looking for you,” she told him, clearing her throat to break the silence between them. She watched his eyes track her hand as she reached up and pushed an errant lock of hair that had escaped her normally severe bun behind her ear.

“And here I thought you just couldn’t keep away from me.”

She rolled her eyes before continuing. “Your mother wanted me to come find you. She said that she’d like for you to join on another one of our patrols around town this week.”

Lucas made a noise that was between a sigh and a growl before grabbing another tool and turning back to his car. “Rebecca has a phone, she could have sent me a message.” The muscles in his back bunched up and Ava knew it wasn’t from tightening a bolt. Lucas and Rebecca had a strained relationship, it wasn’t hard to pick up on the tension that simmered between them every now and again. “Not that I don’t mind your company, don’t get me wrong. I just…”

She made her way towards him. “Just what?”

His shoulders tensed even more before he sighed, arms locked at the elbows and hands on the frame of the car’s hood. “Nothing. It's not important.” She watched as his normally expressive blue eyes closed and when he opened them a moment later, it was as if he had taken whatever had bothered him and boxed it up, storing it somewhere inside of himself until his normally charming smile was back on his face. Not for the first time, she realized that the smile she so admired was a mask for what he was truly feeling. “But since you’re here, you can do me a favor.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Help me out with my car.”

She tilted her head. “I don’t know much about fixing automobiles, I haven’t had much practice.”

He grinned, and she had to stop herself from wanting to reach out to touch the dimple that appeared at his cheek. “Well, you’re in luck. All I need is for you to turn the car on so I can see if what I just spent the better part of the afternoon on worked.” Lucas dug into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his keys. Ava’s fingers brushed against his as she accepted them, and she could feel herself blushing at the way the metal carried the warmth of his body.

She settled into the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, crank it!” Whatever he had been doing must have worked, because he gave a little whoop and she could see his fists raised over his head from over the raised hood of the car.

“I take it that it worked?” she asked, turning the engine off and getting out of the car.

“Yeah. The old girl just needed a little TLC.” He took the keys she offered him and put them back into his pocket. “Thanks, Ava. You know you’re welcome to rev _my_ motor any time you want.”

She scoffed at the wink he gave her. “Hopefully it won’t be for a good long while,” she told him, ignoring the obvious flirting and gesturing to the motor. “Your improvements should keep, right?”

He pulled the hood down and slammed it into place, giving it an extra press of his palms to make sure it was locked down. “Fingers crossed.” Ava froze when he stepped towards her, his hand reaching out to her face. She held her breath as he carefully tucked the same lock of hair back in place behind her ear, her pulse hammering in her ears when his thumb gently brushed across her cheek.

It took everything in her not to close her eyes and lean into his touch. “I should be getting back,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.

“It was good to see you, Ava.”

_ Oh _ . This time the frankly honest tone of voice  _ did _ have her closing her eyes and weaving on her feet towards him. “It was good to see you too, Lucas,” she replied, opening her eyes to look up at him. She took a hesitant step backwards when she saw him reaching out to her, that feeling of wanting  _ more _ coming up and catching in her throat again. “I’ll text you when we figure out patrol shifts.”

He took several steps back, ducking his head and running his hand through his hair. “Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Sounds good. I’m just going to clean up here and make my way home.”

She nodded. “Have a good evening.”

“You too.” He grabbed at a shop towel and held it out to her. “Here.” He gestured at her cheek where his thumb had spread a bit of grease.

She took it and wiped her face clean. “If you make _one_ _joke_ about getting dirty with me…”

Lucas laughed as the tense air around them lifted. “Hey,  _ you  _ were the one thinking it, not me. At least not this time.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but then thought better of it, turning back to his workbench to put the tools he used back in their proper place. Ava watched for a little while more before turning on her heel and heading out.

“Impossible man,” she murmured as she started walking towards the Agency vehicle she had parked a block down.

She made sure she was alone on the street before reaching up and pressing her fingers to her cheek where his thumb had been, allowing herself one dreamy sigh before continuing to her car.


	5. Wine and Dine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Lucas sign adoption papers to make Douglas his ward? You bet he did. Takes place at the end of Book 2, post-treaty signing.

When the door to Lucas’ apartment opened, Ava wasn’t quite expecting a slightly sweaty Douglas dressed in workout clothes to answer her knock.

“Oh!” His eyes went wide behind the damp fringe of his hair that seemed to be perpetually in his face. “Agent du Mortain!”

Lucas’ voice rang out from the interior of the apartment. “Is that Ava? Let her in!”

Ava waited until Douglas opened the door wide enough for her to enter and gave him a slight nod as he stared at her. “Can I take your coat?” he asked in a rush, closing the door behind her.

“I am not wearing a coat,” she replied, watching as the boy’s cheeks flushed even redder and he opened his mouth to stammer a response. “But thank you for offering.”

“Careful,” Lucas teased, coming out of the alcove Ava knew led to his kitchen. “More charming words like that and you’ll have him swooning.”

“I don’t swoon!” Douglas sputtered at the same time Ava countered with  _ I am not charming! _

Lucas laughed at their expressions. “Lies, the both of you.” He leaned against the archway and smiled at her in a way that made her heart flutter about in her chest. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”

“And can you stay long?”

Lucas seemed to catch on to Ava’s arched eyebrow at Douglas’ eagerly asked question. “We’re in the middle of the Art of Conversation,” he explained. “Douglas asked me to help him out on some pointers.”

“Oh.” The single word was said slowly, as if she still wasn’t sure what was going on, but was willing to go along for the moment.

He put on a charming smile. “If I may, we can be an example. Take note, Doug.” He walked over to her and winked. “So, a lady has entered your home. What do you do?”

Douglas’ cheeks flushed, but he took a breath and squared his shoulders. “Greet her, offer to take her coat, and ask why she’s here.”

Lucas gave a slight shrug. “It’s a work in progress,” he murmured to Ava, low enough that only her vampiric hearing could pick it up. She fought not to snort in reply. “Very good! And what next?”

“Offer her a drink?”

“Absolutely! As I was asking, what brings you to my neck of the woods?” He gestured for her to have a seat at his living room, and she had a moment of thinking how utterly ridiculous this was before she could clearly hear a voice in the back of her head urge her to relax and have fun, even if for a little while.

It shouldn’t have come to a surprise that her inner voice of reason sounded  _ exactly _ like Nat.

“I wanted to get with you on some business items, if you aren’t busy,” she explained, taking a seat on the sofa and looking up at him.

His smile turned slightly brittle. “More things my mother asked you to talk with me about?”

“Actually,” she tugged at the end of the braid she had pulled over her shoulder, watching as his expression faltered and his eyes tracked her movement. The part of her that was just a little vain about her hair gave a slight trill at the attention. “I was the one who wanted your input.”

He visibly relaxed. “Oh! Well in that case, how long can you stay?”

“As long as you like.”

“Careful, Agent.” Lucas leaned against the back of the couch. “You could be here an awful long time if you left it up to me.”

She relaxed against the sofa. “And how long would that be?”

The dimple at his cheek appeared and she had the strongest urge to reach out and touch him, if only to make the feeling of wanting  _ more _ quiet for a moment. “How does forever sound to you?”

Ava’s lips parted and she desperately tried to scramble for a reply when Douglas spoke up. “Oh wow, that was  _ smooth _ .” 

Lucas leaned further against the back of the couch. “It was, wasn’t it?” Ava knew he wasn’t speaking to Douglas.

“It was adequate,” she croaked, clearing her throat.

“Ah, and where are my manners?” He pushed off from where he was standing over her. Ava instantly missed the warmth radiating from him. “May I offer you something to drink? Water? Tea? I have a nice Chardonnay I just opened, if that’s more your taste.”

“ _How_ nice is the Chardonnay?”

“If I were a lesser man, I’d be insulted with you doubting my taste in wines.”

She watched as he moved back towards his kitchen. Without thinking, she rose and followed him. “I caught you at a bad time,” she said, looking at the countertops. Organized chaos would be the best way to describe what she found, multiple glass containers in various stages of having food put into them littered every available surface.

“No, we were just finishing up. Douglas and I were prepping next week’s meals, weren’t we?”

Douglas made an affirmative noise from the living room before jumping as his phone rang. “Aw, that’s my mom, I’ve got to get going.” He gave Lucas an apologetic look. “I can come back to help clean up, maybe we can hang out after?”

Lucas shook his head. “Nah, that’s all good, you don’t want to keep your folks waiting. I’ll bring your share up to the station’s fridge to store for the week.”

“Oh, okay.” Douglas picked up a reusable water bottle from the counter and a duffel bag from the hall. “Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lucas picked up on the teen’s slightly dejected tone of voice. “But hey, if you still want to, we can get an early morning run in before work.”

That picked the boy’s expression up. “Yeah! I’ll text you?”

“Sounds like a plan! Just make sure to wake up early, like maybe an hour or so before you usually do. That way we can get a good couple of miles in.” He had to smile at the way Douglas’ face paled before he swallowed and nodded.

“Yes, sir!” He jogged to the door. “Bye, Agent du Mortain!”

“Goodbye, Officer Friedman.”

“So, now that we’re alone,” Lucas started as the door closed behind Douglas. He opened up the small wine fridge he’d installed in a cabinet under the kitchen island and procured a bottle. He took down two glasses from a cabinet overhead. “Could I tempt you with a glass?”

She took a seat at the island. “I could be persuaded. I’m surprised that you’re encouraging Officer Friedman’s hero worship.”

Lucas grimaced. “I’m hoping that it mellows out the longer he hangs out with me. He’s a good kid, he just needs someone to take an interest in him.”

“I think you’d make a good role model for him.”

“Praise from my favorite person, I’m flattered.” He poured a healthy amount in each glass and slid hers to her from the other side of the island. “I don’t know about a  _ good _ role model, but I see a little bit of myself in him. I want to be the person I needed when I was his age.” He didn’t elaborate, but Ava could put two and two together well enough on her own.

“It’s good,” she told him, changing the topic and taking a deeper sip than her initial one.

“Told you, I have great taste in wines.” Lucas clinked his glass to hers. “I like my wines like I like my women: full-bodied, legs for days, with a touch of sweetness to cut the tart acidity that gives it character.”

She hid a reply behind another sip and watched as he took a drink before moving back to the stovetop to grab the handle to the skillet on the range. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“I’m a man of many hidden talents.” He portioned out green beans before moving to a rice cooker sitting on the counter to spoon out rice in half of the containers and more vegetables in the other half before stowing all the containers in the fridge with swift efficiency. “Voila! Oven baked lemon chicken, served with rice and green beans sauteed with slivered almonds and butter or a sheet pan veggie medley. A meal, I may add, that goes exceptionally well with Chardonnay.”

She smirked. “Drinking on the job sounds like something your predecessor did.”

He shrugged. “Okay, so lunchtime is going to be a purely water-only beverage pairing, but I  _ did  _ manage to make more than I needed.” He pulled a plate down from an open cabinet. “Could I tempt you a second time in one night? We could talk about Agency matters over dinner?”

Ava blinked. “What Agency matters?”

“The Agency matters you came to talk with me about?” He leaned back on his heels at her blank expression. “Ava, you know you don’t have to make excuses to come see me, you can just show up at my door. It doesn’t matter what time either, I’m usually up at all hours.”

She scowled and stood up from the barstool she had been sitting at. “If you’re going to tease, I’ll -” She didn’t have any time to finish; Lucas reached out and held onto her wrist.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make fun of you.” His fingers tightened around her wrist ever so slightly before he let go. “Will you please stay?”

“I…” There it was again, that little voice growing louder in the back of her head, urging her to  _ let go _ for once. “Lemon chicken, you said?”

Lucas let go of a breath he had been holding and gave her a smile that made his eyes crinkle. Something inside of her cracked and thawed and she couldn’t help but return it with a smile - albeit a smaller one - of her own.

“Here’s hoping that my cooking matches my wine savvy.” 

She looked down at the plate that he had made for her. “I don’t know, you’ve proven to have exceptional taste. Your cooking has a high bar to match.”

Lucas laughed as he rounded the island, plate and wineglass in hand to sit at the barstool beside her. “Okay, now you’re making me nervous.”

“You shouldn’t be,” she waved a piece of roasted broccoli she had speared on her fork. “This is really good.”

Ava watched as his shoulders relaxed and he took a bite of chicken. “I’m glad. Nat told me that not all vampires eat food, but that you liked simple ingredients. I was worried that this was a little too over the top.”

She covered her surprised cough with the back of her hand. “You asked Nat what I liked?” Ava took a sip of wine to help the piece of roast carrot go down better. “And she  _ told _ you?”

“I have a feeling that Nat has been waiting a long time to divulge all manner of your preferences to someone,” he told her, leaning in conspiratorially. “Don’t worry, she didn’t spill any of your deepest, darkest secrets. I still don’t know what your favorite color is.” 

“I should hope not,” she grumbled behind her glass.

“Why?” He reached over the island and grabbed the wine bottle, offering to pour her a refill. “Because then you’d have nothing left to tell me about yourself?”

She gave him a Morgan-esque scoff as she held out her glass. “As if a favorite color would be giving away every detail of my life.”

“Well, whenever you’re ready to let me know any detail, I’m all ears.” He glanced at her from behind his glass. “But only what you  _ want  _ to tell me and only when you want to tell it.”

Ava was quiet and they lapsed into a companionable silence, the soft scrape of cutlery against plates the only sound. “Thank you,” she finally said. “For…”

Lucas reached out and covered her hand with his. “Any time.”

“Dinner was lovely as well.” She made a move to reach for his empty plate to take to the kitchen, but he shook his head. “But I should probably get back to the Warehouse.”

“Maybe next time I could cook something specific for you.” He rose from his seat and walked Ava to the door. “If I remember correctly, I have a nice fifteen year old Merlot stored somewhere around here that I never got around to unpacking when I moved.”

“You just happen to have aged wines stored in your apartment?”

He shrugged. “Where else am I supposed to keep my collection?” Opening the door, he winked at her as he leaned against the doorframe. “Do you think I could tempt you with a wine tasting?”

Ava felt her lips curl up into a smile. “We shall see. Goodnight, Lucas.”

“Goodnight, Ava.”


	6. Headbutts and Kisses

Surprisingly, it was Ava who suggested drinks at this little hole in the wall pub that was close to the station on a Friday night. She’d looked away quickly, her eyes focused on some document in Lucas’ inbox that had suddenly gained importance when he’d tipped back in his chair and drawled out  _ Why Agent du Mortain, are you asking me out on a date? _

Lucas shouldn’t have teased, he knew it.  _ It’s not a date, Detective. I was suggesting a place for the team to unwind.  _ Not only did it force Ava to clam up tighter than ever, but it meant that the entire Unit Bravo team was currently sitting at a small table in the corner of the pub, a multitude of glasses between them. It wasn’t that he didn’t  _ like _ everyone else, but he just shot himself in the foot for a chance to spend some time with Ava alone.

“What’s got you so glum?” Farah asked, taking an exaggerated slurping sip of her drink as she hit the bottom of the glass, the brightly colored liquid somewhat diluted from the melting ice.

He shook his head and swirled the aged scotch he’d ordered. “Nothing, just a long day at work, I guess.”

Nat made agreeing noises next to him, the sleeve of her sweater soft against his arm. Seeing as the both of them appreciated the same fine spirits, they had gone in and bought a bottle to share between them. He eyed the amount in his glass and knew that paired with not eating since breakfast, the lack of sleep - insomnia had been his frequent companion as of late, one which had decided to visit him again the night before - and the fact that he was going to have to drive his car back to his apartment because leaving it parked at the station was out of the question since it was due to rain tomorrow, he couldn’t afford to get drunk.

He gave Ava a quick glance over the rim of his glass. Maybe  _ she  _ would drive his car home for him if he asked nicely. As if aware of his attention, she quirked an eyebrow as she idly played with the stem of her wineglass. She was nursing a deep red wine, the drink tinting her lips and making them shine in the low light of the pub. It was a rare occasion: her hair was out of her usual severe bun, loose and soft in waves about her shoulders and he wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her, to tangle his fingers in her hair to see if it was as silky as it looked, to find out for himself if her lips tasted just as intoxicating as he imagined they would or if they were even better.

He blinked and looked away. Perhaps he was further into his cups than he realized.

The scoff that Morgan made as she tapped out a cigarette and grabbed at the ashtray at the center of the table brought him out of his thoughts. “What was that?” he asked, belatedly realizing that Farah had asked him a question. The woman’s face was set in an impish grin, and he knew that she had caught him staring at their leader yet again.

“Oh, nothing,” Farah drawled, putting her elbows on the already full table, her chin resting in her hands. “It’s just so _sweet_ to see this play out.”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “More like  _ annoying _ ,” she muttered, cigarette smoke curling around her head like a smoky halo. “Still say you should both just get it out of your system and -” Her comment was cut off with a grunt as Nat kicked her sharply under the table. Lucas’ eyes shot towards Ava, who was sitting as still as a statue. He couldn’t tell, it may have been the lighting, but the very tips of her ears were a slight shade of pink.

“There’s where you’re wrong,” he said looking towards Morgan. “There’s nothing  _ to _ play out.” Draining the rest of his glass, Lucas stood up on slightly wobbly legs. It may have been because he was tired. It may have been because he was tipsy and on his way to be drunk. Whatever the reason, he didn’t really feel like being pushed aside even more than he’d already been. He thought that he had made some progress lately, but just as usual, it felt as if he took one step forward and Ava took two steps back.

“Where are you going?” Nat half-rose from her seat, her hand on his as he shrugged himself back into his jacket.

He gave her a charming smile. It wasn’t her fault that he was in a mood. “As much as I enjoy spending the evening with four incredibly beautiful women, I’m going to have to call it a night. There’s work in the morning to be done.”  _ And fuck, _ he thought, belatedly remembering an appointment scribbled onto his desk calendar.  _ Rebecca wanted to have lunch. I  _ don’t  _ want to meet with my estranged mother while nursing a hangover. _

“Are you going to be okay to drive?” Speaking of mother figures, his smile warmed to something fond. They may not have been together for very long, but Nat had instantly earned a place in his heart. He was too tired to go through the mental gymnastics of him seeking out a mother figure to replace the one that he constantly disappointed and couldn’t connect to just then, but it was something he made a note to bring up to his therapist during his next session.

“I’ll be fine, Mom,” he teased, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek. There was a warm feeling in his chest when he realized that she had tipped her cheek up to him before he had even finished leaning towards her. 

“We still on for game night tomorrow?”

Lucas laughed, moving around the table to wrap an arm around Farah. “As long as you’re prepared to get your butt kicked,” he told her, pressing a noisy, messy kiss to her cheek. “I’ll have you know that I’m the king of 9-ball around these parts.”

Morgan held up a hand as he rounded the table towards her. “Don’t even think about it.”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Wouldn’t dream about it, Gorgeous.” He saw that she was busy taking another drag of her cigarette, so he quickly grabbed the hand she held out towards him and gave her knuckles a kiss. “Though you really don’t know what you’re missing.”

There was a little thrill of satisfaction as she yanked her hand back, a blush staining her freckled cheeks. “That was so fucking cheesy,” she muttered, hiding any other reaction behind a cloud of smoke. 

He grinned and winked at her as he motioned towards the bartender. He gave a signal to put all their drinks on his tab, knowing that his credit card was on file. The bartender nodded and waved back. 

The table was eerily silent as they looked expectantly at him as he walked by Ava’s spot. “Detective,” she said, her voice tight.

Lucas put his hand on the back of her chair, careful not to touch her. “Agent,” he replied, giving her a nod. “Have a good rest of your night, ladies.” And with that, he tugged on his jacket collar and ran a hand through his hair as he walked out the door.

The cool evening air did a good job of whisking away the warm, relaxed feeling that he had been sitting in for the past hour, leaving him sober, but unfortunately all too aware of the ache with the name Ava pulsing in bright neon letters in his chest. Kicking at a stray pebble on the sidewalk, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and made the lonely trek back to the police station’s parking lot.

“Lucas.” He froze at the sound of his name. Taking a bolstering breath, he turned around, a (hopefully) charming smile plastered on his face. 

“Couldn’t keep away from me, could you?” he drawled, watching as Ava frowned.

“I... _ we _ were concerned. You shouldn’t be operating a vehicle in your state.”

There it was. If she felt anything for him, Ava always hid it behind the rest of Unit Bravo. “I appreciate the concern, but it takes more than just a few drinks to knock me off my feet. I can hold my own during the annual drinking contests, after all.”

She looked away before bringing her gaze back up to him. “Still, I would be remiss not to offer to drive you home.”

There was a slightly hopeful look in her eyes that didn’t quite meet the rest of her expression and Lucas cursed his mouth and emotions for working faster than his brain. “I’m _fine_ , Ava. Nat didn’t need to send you out here to babysit me.” It was wrong of him and he knew it as soon as he said the words, but he was  _ tired _ and just a little bit heartsick. Part of him wanted her to experience, even if only a fraction, the same sort of disappointment he felt every time she rejected him.

He saw something shutter close behind her eyes, the light from the overhead streetlamps reflecting off them and reminding Lucas of bottle green sea glass. He would have turned. He would have walked away. He would have gone home to his apartment alone and spent the rest of the night regretting words he didn’t mean.

He would have done all these things, had he loved her any less. Instead, he carefully reached out to her, his hand on her arm as he took a tentative step closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

She let out the smallest of breaths and swayed towards him. “You never say things unless you mean them,” she told him quietly, her chin tilting up to meet his gaze. “It’s one of the things I admire about you.” Ava shifted and Lucas felt a pang of regret, thinking that she was going to move out of his reach, but instead she ever so lightly brushed her fingers against his, her eyes fixed at some point on his face other than his own eyes. 

It’s when it clicked. Every time she reached out to almost touch him only to snap her hand away before it made contact, she wasn’t pushing him aside, she was asking permission. He’d only been too slow to react. Very carefully, he deliberately brushed his hand against hers, their fingers lacing together.Her breath hitched as she reached out with her free hand, fingers trembling so slightly that had they not been so close to his face that he wouldn’t have noticed it.

And this time he didn’t hesitate. Leaning forward the barest of inches, he moved so the side of his cheek could make contact.

“Lucas,” she sighed, fingers sliding over his skin so she could cup the side of his face in her palm. She flinched just a little, her fingers tightening around his, when he used his index finger and thumb to gently tip her chin up.

“You must know how I feel about you, Ava,” he breathed, his fingers curling around her jaw, thumb slowly running against the corner of her lip. “And I know that you don’t say things you don’t mean either.”

“How do you know that?”

“Tu omnia.” He brushed his nose against hers and brought their joined hands up to his chest. “Oh, Ava. You are everything to me too.” He felt rather than heard her shaky inhale of breath, the fingers at his cheek moving to card through his hair and rest at the back of his neck. 

This time he could clearly see the faint pink that tinted her cheeks turn to a deeper red. “Did Nat help you out with that translation?”

He grinned. “Come on, give me a  _ little _ credit. I did pay attention in my Latin classes in school, after all.” His hand slid down and he could feel her pulse skip under his fingers. “I have something else to say that I most definitely mean, if you’d like to hear.”

She nodded, her teeth catching on her bottom lip. She nearly made a noise of disappointment when his hand left, but then caught her breath when he moved to hold both her hands in his.

“Te amamus, Ava. Amabeo te in perpetuum.”

If he lived to be a hundred, Lucas didn’t think he would ever forget the sound Ava made at his declaration, the way she had swayed forward until her forehead was pressed against his chin. “Your pronunciation is atrocious,” she muttered, letting go of his hand to grab a handful of his jacket collar, her breath hitching.

“But the translation came through?”

Ava gave him a smile and even with the chill in the air, he felt warmed from the inside out. “I think I got the gist of it.” She moved so they were as close as they could get, her fingers worrying the edge of his jacket. “What happens now?”

He shrugged, savoring the shiver he felt when he placed his hand at the small of her back. “Whatever we want, at whatever pace we want it to happen.” He lifted the hand he still held to his lips and pressed a fond kiss to the back of her knuckles. “I just...I just wanted you to know how I felt.”

“Thank you.” Ava winced at her words, but he didn’t mind. “Do you...would it be…” She huffed. “I’m not as good at this as you are.” The last was said in an endearingly irritated grumble. She made a move to back away, but Lucas pressed his hand firmly against her back.

“Ava, you can tell me anything.”

Her frown deepened. “I was going to ask if you’d be okay with a kiss, but…” She glared at him. “Don’t you _dare_ laugh, Detective!” It was an oddity to see her this flustered, and he was going to make a comment when she hid her head against the crook of his neck.

Or at least she tried to. They both moved at the same time, which meant that when Lucas ducked his head to look her in the eye, she managed to headbutt him directly in the mouth.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, stepping back and putting his hand protectively to his mouth.

“Lucas!”

“It’s okay, you didn’t break the skin.” He ran his tongue over his bottom teeth. “Or a tooth, though I’m probably going to have a fat lip tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe it’s a sign.”

He rolled his eyes and grabbed at her hands again. “Or maybe,” he said, moving closer to her. “Now you  _ have _ to kiss me. To make it better.”

She scoffed at the charming smile he threw her way. “Was that supposed to be an attempt at seducing me?”

“Depends. Did it work?”

Ava ran a finger over his lip, wincing when she saw that it was indeed starting to slightly swell. “Toi bel homme impossible,” she murmured, rising up onto her toes to hesitantly brush her lips against his once, then twice, before sighing as Lucas wound his hand through her hair and tipped his head to deepen the kiss. He tasted of earthy moss and oak from his drink and she swayed on her feet as his tongue slid across hers before he retreated, his lips pressing little kisses across her cheek before returning to her mouth.

“Too much?” he quietly asked when they broke for air.

“A little,” she confessed. “But also not enough.” She ran a finger underneath his eye. “You haven’t been sleeping well again.”

“That noticeable?”

“It is to me.” She paused. “May I drive you home?”

He smiled. “Depends. Are you going to tuck me in as well?”

Ava laughed and Lucas’ heart  _ soared _ at the sound. “Only if you ask nicely.” The open flirtation was something new and he _reveled_ in it, reaching out to kiss her again.

“How nice was that?”

Her eyes twinkled, warm emerald meeting his blue. “Incredibly nice.”

“Maybe I should try that again, you know, just to see if I can do better.”

Ava made a noise against his lips, her arms winding around him as he held her close. Nothing else seemed to matter to him in that moment except for the feel of her in his arms and the heat of her mouth pressing against his own. Very dimly, in the peripheral of his senses, he managed to hear a whooping noise.

Ava tore her mouth away from his and spun around, the two of them watching as Farah stood just outside the pub’s doorway, arms held straight in the air in a victory pose.

“ _Yes!_ ” she yelled. “Nat, you owe me money, there was  _ definitely  _ tongue involved!”

“I’m going to put her on bathroom cleaning duty for a month,” Ava growled, turning on her heel and stomping in the direction of the police station.

“Good night, you kids!” Farah called after them. “Take your time, we won’t wait up!” 

Lucas laughed, even as Ava let out another growl. “Come on,” he said, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets as he jogged to catch up with her. “Let’s head home.”


End file.
